Senator George Frisbie Hoar

Occupation
Hoar was a lawyer, US representative and senator. At the time of the debate about the annexation of the Philippines, he was a senator of Massachusetts. He also served on the Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Claims.

Position on Annexation
Hoar was opposed to the Republican philosophy of imperialism and expansion, although he himself was a Republican; this was the same position Andrew Carnegie was in. He was an anti-imperialist. He believed expansionists were defying the Declaration of Independence, the Monroe Doctrine and the Constitution. He thought Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines should be given full independence after some American or international protection.

“Whether it may conquer, control, and govern this people, not for the general welfare, common defense, more perfect union, more blessed liberty of the people of the United States, but for some real or fancied benefit to be conferred against their desire upon the people so governed or in discharge of some fancied obligation to them, and not to the people of the United States.”
Hoar was essentially saying that the US was not taking over the Philippines for any reason stated in the Constitution.


List of reasons for interest in annexation of Philippines
- Hoar was an adamant anti-imperialist, although he complied with the Spanish-American War because he thought it could be fought without ‘the slightest thought or desire for foreign conquest or national gain or advantage.’ When the Republican administration agreed on the Treaty of Paris, Hoar realized they were going to support annexation of new territories and became an anti-imperialist.
- Hoar believed the American Republic may become a “vulgar, commonplace empire founded upon physical force, controlling subject races and vassal states, in which inevitably one class must forever rule and other classes must forever obey.”

MLA formatted references
Hoar, George. "GEORGE HOAR : The Lust for Empire." Brooklyn College Department of History. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.
Hoar, George Frisbie. "MHS George Frisbie Hoar Papers,1784-1933." Massachusetts Historical Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.
Katz, Professor Esther . "Anti-Imperialist Movement from 1898 to 1900." Anti-imperialism. N.p., 7 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.